TMC slams delay in appointing Opp leader

SHILLONG, May 21: The Meghalaya Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday decried the delay in appointing the leader of the opposition even after two-and-a-half months of government formation.
“The State Security Commission has the leader of the opposition as one of its members. It has been nearly two-and-a-half months that the government has intentionally or perhaps in connivance with the office of the Speaker not selected the leader of the opposition,” TMC vice-president George B. Lyngdoh said.
“Who will represent the important office?” he asked.
He said the leader of the opposition has representation in various committees apart from legislative duties in the Assembly. There are other duties in the executive that require the leader of the opposition to be present.
“The government is yet to realise that the leader of the opposition is needed for legislative and executive functions,” Lyngdoh said.
The opposition bench, he pointed out, represents the voice of the people who are not aligned with the ruling dispensation. “But the government does not seem to be keen on discussing the important matter of the appointment of the opposition leader with the Speaker, he said.  Lyngdoh also came down heavily on the state government for its laxity on the law-and-order front, resulting in the likely revival of militancy in the state.
“During the past five years, there was constant law-and-order breakdown across the state. The government seems to be unable to handle the situation now,” Lyngdoh said, adding that the lackadaisical attitude could push the state back to militancy.
He said this in reference to a leaked memo, meant for circulation among police officers, which claimed the dreaded Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) was regrouping and was on a recruitment drive.
“A peaceful state was handed to the MDA government on a platter. Until and unless the economic and employment issues of the state are addressed and corruption is bridled, the youth will lose hope and may be pushed towards militancy, drug addiction and other illegalities like smuggling and theft,” Lyngdoh said.
“Drug trafficking, theft, transborder smuggling and other forms of crime have been rising across the state. Now, militancy is raising its ugly head,” he said.
“All these are an outcome of administrative failure and the frequent transfers of police officers in the state,” the TMC leader added.
He said the TMC had advised the government to post officers across the state on the basis of their experience and skill besides a robust intelligence network. “We have seen the government caught unawares even in the state secretariat where civil society members storm into. It is no surprise that the government has been caught napping again (on the GNLA issue),” Lyngdoh said.